I read with interest your report in the August 2022 issue [Triple Crown tales] about the Henri Pescarolo and Graham Hill victory in the Le Mans 24 Hours 50 years ago. I would like someone to tell me who had been the one who had said that the Triple Crown was winning the Monaco GP, Indy 500 and 24 Hours of Le Mans. Wrong! Unless someone with authority can tell me otherwise, the Triple Crown as far as I know has always been winning the F1 championship, Indy 500 and 24 Hours of Le Mans.

By all means a very, very difficult task to do. Fernando Alonso has tried and sadly did not quite make it, and I think he remains the only active driver that could do it. I laugh about Henri’s comments that Graham at 43 was an old man, but with a lot of experience which enabled them to win the race! Good old Graham, RIP; he will be always be remembered for this wonderful achievement which I very much doubt any one will now equal for many years to come. Wonderful magazine; keep up the good work.

Jo Ramirez, Mijas, Spain

I enjoyed your September feature 30 moments that changed motor sport. While I appreciate no one will ever get a general consensus of agreement on what the most significant 30 moments really were, the introduction of sponsorship should have been included. This was a game changer, following Yeoman Credit sponsoring Ken Gregory’s British Racing Partnership in 1960.

This was the first sponsorship in F1, with the formation of Yeoman Credit Racing. From this a decade later came Gold Leaf Team Lotus followed by John Player Special. One could argue the forward thinking of Yeoman Credit introduced the money that changed the sport for ever – for better or worse… Jeremy Samengo-Turner,

Froxfield, Hampshire

While I was pleased to learn in the October issue that there may be a new South African Grand Prix at Kyalami in 2023 [Is F1 about to take a Spa break?], I was alarmed that this may be at the expense of the Belgian and French Grands Prix, which are two of the most significant venues on the calendar.

Grand prix racing started in France and it is the home of the sport’s governing body and Spa is the last and largest of the great purpose-built circuits to have survived the emasculation of other traditional motor racing venues and is universally loved by the drivers.

I can understand Liberty Media wanting to reach out to new audiences, following the success of Drive To Survive, but if the intention is also to reinstate the grand prix in Qatar and China, two countries with an appalling record of human rights abuses, then this would suggest a major lack of judgement and a contempt for the history and tradition for the sport, that I find disturbing. I suspect I will not be alone among your readers in feeling this way about these proposed changes.

Nick Procter, London SE12

It was very interesting to see the picture of the Gunston Lotus 72/3 on the cover of the October issue.

In 1987/’88 when I was a director at Middle Barton Garage, Oxfordshire, a good customer of ours said to drop in and see his latest acquisition. There in the barn strapped to a pallet was the tub of a very sad looking Gunston 72 with various components sitting in the tub. In a large accompanying crate were the rest of the parts. After all this time it is nice to see a superbly finished race car.

Geoff Divey, Shernborne, Norfolk

Was it a coincidence that the article on the Lotus 72 [Special brew] started on page 72 of the October edition of Motor Sport?

If not, a nice touch.

Michael Crawford, Wotton-Under-Edge, Gloucestershire

Visiting the Silverstone Classic this year, our merry band set off to our favourite corners at the raised trackside viewing section at the entry to Maggots and Becketts.

On approach, the skeletons of multilayered steel boxes loomed into view, soon to be private residences. This multi-million pound development overlooking Maggots and Becketts will raise substantial revenue for the circuit from the few who have access to it, but it comes at a cost to an awful lot of the ticket-paying public, as a service road in front has completely eradicated the raised viewing area.

Concrete barriers now separate the new road from the small section of raised area only marshals have access to, so the view of the track from the road is a very ‘tiptoe’ affair. It’s such a shame that the vast majority of motor racing enthusiasts have yet again been shuffled down the pecking order.

Rob Gent, Spalding, Lincolnshire

Thank you very much for the excellent Matters of Moment piece and Doug Nye article [The Archives] on Bruce McLaren’s first race car, the Zerex Special, in the October issue. I built a 1:32-scale version in 1965 aided admirably by photos in Motor Sport. This feature took me straight back almost 60 years. As someone who has demonstrated their dedication to getting every last iota from each issue, I have to ask how come the Lotus transporter photo on page 6 carries the legend “Gunner” Nilsson. Surely Team Lotus knew how to spell this highly lamented and exceptionally talented young driver’s name?

Jonathan Taylor, Marshfield, Wiltshire

How great to see the Zerex “Fubar” McLaren back in the UK! In June 1964 I was at Goodwood trying to improve the performance of the competition Elan of Formula 3 racer Adrian Chambers.

We became aware of a joyously noisy two-seater blasting round, no bodywork, Bruce McLaren at the helm. After a few laps he cut the V8 Buick exiting the chicane and rolled to the pits. V8 crackle gave way to jubilant laughter then, “This will be terrific, you’d better tighten all the bolts now!” The first laps of the first McLaren sports car.

In the lunch break Adrian approached Bruce asking if he would do a few laps in the Elan. His smiling reply that he was more used to a Cooper than a Lotus, but he would have a go. Still moves me as Bruce was a top F1 driver at that time.

Strapped in and perched on a cushion, he did three laps. His flying lap was within a second of the class lap record, so we eagerly awaited some professional feedback, but it was not to be. Instead we were treated to the most memorable assessment of handling I’ve ever had: “It’s a bit like driving a bowl of porridge!” What a driver, what a man.

Bob Curl, Rye, East Sussex

We have just come back from the Monza Grand Prix. It was the most disorganised event we have ever attended. We queued for two hours to enter the circuit and had our bottles of water taken off us. When we finally entered, the large row of event toilets were mostly blocked or full, with no paper or water to handwash and no evidence of cleaning staff. Having been to the Austria event only a few week before where the facilities were excellent this was a shock.

We hoped we could buy water or have a beer, but in the bar there was just a token payment system. The token machines were mostly not working so there was a two-hour queue to obtain tokens – but the token operatives were getting the tokens back from the bar to top up their machines and as the queue was so long the bar had no tokens to hand back. It was now 33°C.

I’ve been following grands prix for years at several tracks and this was the most disorganised ever. I fear that those attending their first ever event might think this was the norm and not attend another GP. I will hesitate before returning to Monza. The track must improve its facilities. As for the last few laps…

Mark Dodd, Huntington, Staffordshire

In the October Editor’s Letter Joe Dunn states that there is no memorial to Jo Siffert. In fact, outside the Palexpo exhibition centre in Geneva a bust of Jo Siffert was unveiled during the 1997 Geneva Salon. Guests at the unveiling included Clay Regazzoni.

I cherish the memory of Jo Siffert because the first Formula 1 race I saw was the televised 1968 British Grand Prix. Siffert took the victory, followed by Chris Amon who, according to the commentator, “was praying that Jo Siffert would break down”.

Michael Schwartz, Didsbury, Manchester

Contact us

Write to Motor Sport, 18-20 Rosemont Road, London, NW3 6NE
e-mail, editorial@motorsportmagazine.co.uk